The Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education programmes have contributed tremendously towards increasing the number of pupils and students in schools across the country.
The introduction of UPE in January 1997 and USE in February 2007 enabled pupils and students, who previously were not going to school because their parents were too poor to afford school fees, to attain education. Over the years, several UPE and USE beneficiaries have made a name for themselves and contributed to the country’s development in various sectors.
That said, the two programmes face a host of challenges that the government must expeditiously resolve to ensure that children get quality education irrespective of their parents’ financial standing.
These challenges are explicitly detailed in a story titled ‘Rising enrolment puts strain on UPE schools,” which we published on Monday, June 22. The story details challenges faced by UPE schools in Buikwe District. They include shortage of teachers, desks, classrooms, toilets and learning materials, among others. These problems afflicting UPE schools in Buikwe are also faced by other UPE and USE schools countrywide. The increase in enrolment of learners is, unfortunately, not matched by a corresponding increase in the number of teachers. This imbalance compromises the effectiveness of teaching. With the high number of learners, a teacher is tasked with handling, learning is severely impeded.
The heavy workload also adversely affects the teachers physically and psychologically. Shortage of classrooms compel teachers to crowd learners in the few available ones, causing discomfort to learners and impeding the learning process. Some schools have resorted to conducting lessons under trees because of the shortage of classrooms, while others make do with rickety, makeshift structures that, under normal circumstances, should not be used as classrooms. Furthermore, the shortage of desks, which forces learners to squeeze themselves on the few available ones while others have no choice but to sit on the floor, is a hindrance to education because it causes discomfort, with learners struggling to write notes and do assignments given to them.
The shortage of pit-latrines is of particular concern because some learners have resorted to easing themselves in the nearby bushes. This is dangerous because it can lead to an outbreak of deadly sanitation-related diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Furthermore, some parents have abandoned their duties to provide things like scholastic materials and meals to their children under the misconception that it is the duty of the government to provide these essentials to the beneficiaries of UPE and USE.
We call upon the government to increase funding to the two programmes to ensure that they run smoothly. Enough money should be provided for the construction of classroom blocks, procurement of desks and learning materials. The authorises must also ensure that more teachers are hired and more pit-latrines constructed. To the parents, we say, do not abandon your responsibility of catering for your children to the government. Cooperate with the government to enable your child to have a bright future.